In 1961, US President John F. Kennedy declared that the US would go to the moon this decade - and the Apollo program was born. The selected astronauts trained at geological sites such as the Grand Canyon and Barringer Crater in the US. Astrogeologist Eugene Shoemaker emphasized that astronauts should also train in impact craters.
Astronauts from Apollo missions 14 and 17 visited Germany for their geological training. In Tübingen they received an introduction at the Mineralogical Institute and then traveled to Nördlingen to the Ries crater. The training was accompanied by NASA and local experts, including geologist Wolf v. Engelhardt.

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Ihno Mertens

April 1, 2025

Beautifully made panels distributed throughout the educational trail

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Elevation 550 m

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Location: Nördlingen, Danube-Ries, Altmühltal, Upper Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany

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